“The Venue at Murphy Lane, this is Kara.”
“Hi. I just got engaged and I’d like to get some information about your venue.”
As wedding venue owners we have found that one of the first things newly engaged couples do is start calling venues. As a result, we often give advice on what things need to be done and in what order. Since we started our involvement in “the wedding world” over 7 years ago we have learned a thing or two! We are happy to share some ideas with you. I bet most newly engaged couples have never planned a wedding. It is always a learning experience. I also bet that you will encounter “sticker shock” when you find out how much weddings cost. It’s part of the learning curve, too.
It seems most couples come to us with some idea of the geographic area where they want to get married. They also have a ballpark idea of how many guests might attend. There may already be some clear cut preferences on the date. Even though it is a guess at this point, most couples have some idea of how much they plan to spend. When you start wedding planning there are limitless sources of “how to”. Here is another source- this time from the perspective of a wedding venue owner.
How to Plan a Wedding (or at least something to think about!)
This is not meant to be an all-inclusive list but some ideas to consider as you start your wedding planning journey.
1- Pick your venue and set the date.
2- Choose your wedding planner/coordinator.
3- Budget talk.
4- Choose your caterer.
4.a. Choose your baker for a wedding cake (if you’ll have one)
5- Choose your photographer.
5.a. Choose your videographer.
6- Choose your florist.
7- Choose your DJ or band.
8- Budget talk.
9- Plan your bar service.
10- Choose your officiant.
11- Choose your HAMU (hair and make-up) artists.
12- Consider hotels to recommend.
13- Consider transportation options for your guests.
14- Budget talk.
15- Wedding attire for bride, groom and bridal party.
16- Consider who will be your maid of honor and best man.
17- Consider the size of your bridal party.
18- Consider creating a wedding website.
19- Start planning a “save the date” and invitations.
20- Consider having an engagement party.
21- Budget talk.
There are other things that are not on this list! Please take our suggestions as general advice. A wedding planner may give you a completely different list. Your family and friends may tell you other things and prioritize differently. But consider our list as one of the tools you use as you move forward.
How Your Wedding Budget May Evolve
“Budget talk” is mentioned more than once. As you plan your wedding you will educate yourself on many things that weddings include- especially the price of things. Your initial budget estimate will almost certainly go up once you start to get prices for all the components. You will revisit your budget estimate often, especially early on in the planning process. As wedding venue owners we can give you some budget “ballpark figures” based on weddings we have seen here. We also offer “All-Inclusive” Packages that include most of the items listed above. That gives us some experience to draw on to share with you. If you book just the wedding venue and then start to contact the various vendors for the other items you will start to understand the costs associated with every aspect of your wedding.
There are only about a zillion options when you start your wedding planning so it can be a bit overwhelming. We are happy to help you, whether you want everything to be “over the top” or if you want to get as much bang for every buck that you can! And don’t feel bad if you want both! Most people do. Ha! A wedding planner can also be an invaluable resource for price estimates.
Planning a Wedding is Quite an Endeavor!
The “How to Plan a Wedding” list above outlines key items of your wedding planning. There are many other topics that will need your attention. The choices are limitless. At some point you stop researching and learning and start making decisions. We cannot stress the value of putting together a “dream team” of vendors as you make your plans and decide who you will use. It is such a pleasure for us to see your vision come together and all the pieces of your puzzle start moving into place.
As wedding venue owners we see how important it is for thorough communication with every vendor on your team- not only with you but with other vendors and the wedding venue as well. Whether you book Murphy Lane as an “All-Inclusive” Package or just the venue we will communicate with you along the way. We always tell “our couples” that they should never go to bed with a question hanging over them. We are just a text or phone call away. Most of the time the issue you are so worried about isn’t really as bad at it seems once you get a little perspective from someone who deals with weddings all the time!
If you are looking for a wedding venue near Atlanta and want to find out more about The Venue at Murphy Lane please visit our links below:
WEBSITE: www.thevenueatmurphylane.com
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